Reprint: Relationships between the changes of physical fitness and motor ability and playing in kindergarten children: study on children in "A" kindergarten in Okayama prefecture

In this study, we analyzed and compared the results of physical fitness and motor ability tests conducted on children enrolled at “A” kindergarten as well as surveys of children’s playing. The subjects were 115 boys and girls enrolled in “A” kindergarten between 1995 and 2005. We measured the height, weight, 25-m dash, ball throwing, hanging from a bar, standing broad jump, and standing on one leg. The results were as follows: 1) There were no significant differences between the results of 1995 and 2005 in the overall height or weight of the boys and girls. There were no significant differences among various time periods in the height or weight of the girls and boys separately. 2) In all the boys and girls, there were no differences in the 25-m dash, ball throwing, and hanging from a bar. The children’s standing broad jump in 2005 (106.5±18.0 cm) was significantly shorter (p<0.01) than that in 1995 (117.9±16.7 cm). The children’s standing on one leg in 2005 (48.5±51.8 sec) was also significantly shorter (p<0.01) than that in 1995 (98.4±97.0 sec). In conclusion, the results for the standing broad jump and standing on one leg continued to decrease chronologically, and we believe that concrete measures are essential to encourage proper growth and development.